Fish merchants welcome ambitious new Fleetwood fish park plans

Wyre Council says the ‘Project Neptune’ scheme will not only help safeguard the existing jobs in the fish processing sector, but create up to 100 new ones.

There are said to be between 250 and 300 people working in fish processing in Fleetwood at the current time, in addition to others working as ‘fish hawkers’.

With many of the existing premises dilapidated, most believe it is essential that modernisation needs to happen as soon as possible.

It would bring many of the firms together on one site and, it is hoped, attract new customers.

The project, announced on Wednesday this week, has been kickstarted by a grant of £4million from the Government’s Getting Building Fund after a successful grant bid by Wyre Council, with help from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

Ken Hayton, a director of the Midland Fish Company, was instrumental in firing up the proposals after he and son Patrick approached Wyre Council and docks owner Associated British Ports (ABP) about possible expansion plans some 18 months ago.

He said: “I think the industry in Fleetwood really needs this new facility sooner rather than later.

“If what’s left of the port is going to continue we have to keep moving forward.

“Fish processing is still a major employer in Fleetwood but the firms in this town have needed to be working from modern premises for years.

His son Patrick, manager of Midland, said: “In fairness, without Wyre Council’s involvement we would have struggled to get this project off the ground.

“Fleetwood docks is probably the most neglected of ABP’s ports and it is good that something can finally be done.

“There has been talk of creating a fish park since at least the 1990s – it’s not before time that it’s happening and I believe it could mean at least 25 new jobs for us.”

Although Fleetwood’s fish catching sector is now all but finished, apart from one or two small boats, the town’s has never lost its expertise for processing fish .

Hardly any of the fish is caught in the town – much of it comes from Scotland or Scandinavia – but the fish is prepared in Fleetwood and sold to a wide range of customers in both Britain and abroad.

Another Fleetwood fish merchant, Mark Wilson of Dockside Fisheries, also welcomes the Project Neptune proposals.

He said: “I think it will be a lot better, help us to attract new business and generate more jobs.

“Let’s face it, we’d all welcome brand new facilities.

“My only concern would be a possible increase in rent, which would bite into profits.

“If we were able to purchase the new premises it would be a lot better for me.

“I think there will be quite a few negotiations to come in 2021, but generally I think most people welcome these plans.”